New developments in the legal fight over congressional redistricting. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall and Secretary of State Wes Allen Thursday filed emergency motions with the U.S. Supreme Court asking the justices to lift injunctions issued by a lower court, that are preventing the state from redrawing district lines. The move comes a day after the justices -- in a landmark decision -- struck down race-based districts as unconstitutional.
A federal district court in 2024 imposed a congressional map on Alabama -- using race-- to configure a second majority black district, costing Republicans a House seat. "The Supreme Court has now made clear that you cannot assume race and politics are the same thing, you have to actually show they’re separate," Marshall said. "Because the lower court’s injunction cannot stand in light of the Supreme Court’s ruling, we have asked the court to lift the injunction. Alabama deserves the right to use its own maps, just like every other state," Attorney General Marshall said.
Secretary Allen issued the following statement: "As the appellant in Alabama’s redistricting case, I have taken the legal measures necessary, in cooperation with Alabama’s Attorney General Steve Marshall to ask the US Supreme Court to take quick and decisive action which will allow Alabama to pursue congressional maps that reflect the will of the people,” Allen said. “It is my hope that our right as Alabamians to draw districts will be swiftly restored and that the days of court appointed mapmakers will be behind us."
GOP officials are calling for a special legislative session to redraw those lines, but Gov. Kay Ivey said the state is not in a position to move forward, with an appeal at the high court still pending. The governor issued the following statement: "I applaud @AGSteveMarshall and @alasecofstate for quickly filing emergency motions at SCOTUS. Alabama knows our state, our people and our districts better than the federal courts or activist groups. I remain hopeful that Alabama receives a favorable ruling."